Simpatico
by Mystical Authoress
Summary: Robin can barely handle how horribly complicated everything has gotten and needs someone to talk to who isn't Regina or one of the other Heroes. Thankfully, someone might be able to be there for him—none other than the Swordmaster who has just appeared in Storybrooke, that is. (no character tab for Nobutsuna Kamiizumi)


**Author note: I do not own Bravely Default/Bravely Second or Once Upon A Time.**

 **Warning: Spoilers for Bravely Default AND Bravely Second, spoilers for OUAT up to _around_ 6x01, Outlaw Queen mention, canon-typical violence.**

 **Please note that this fic is _somewhat canon-divergent_ as Robin is **_**not**_ **dead, and therefore the Merry Men and Roland are still around in Storybrooke. Also, this takes place _post-Bravely Second_ in terms of the Bravely Default/Second timeline.**

 **Constructive Criticism would be appreciated, and I hope you enjoy reading this fic!**

* * *

 _ **Simpatico:**_ _(of a person) likable and easy to get along with. having or characterized by shared attributes or interests; compatible._

Summary: Robin can barely handle how horribly complicated everything has gotten and needs someone to talk to who isn't Regina or one of the other Heroes. Thankfully, someone might be able to be there for him—none other than the Swordmaster who has just appeared in Storybrooke, that is.

* * *

Robin lost it.

Granted, he was already losing it for a good while, but _this_ took the final straw.

After nearly dying at the hands of Hades, Regina (convinced by Snow and the other heroes) ended up _literally_ splitting herself in half. Robin had argued that he accepted her for _all_ of who she was, her darkness. He'd told her that numerous times, and he genuinely, truly did accept her for all of who she was. _She didn't need to do this._

He wasn't exactly happy that she _did_ actually split herself in half, but accepted it as well as he could. If that was what she decided in the end, who was he to stop her?

…That was a mistake.

And now there was an Evil Queen, _made of literal darkness_ , lurking around in Storybrooke. Ready to hurt _anyone._

That included Roland. And Regina. And _the baby_ —the baby he hadn't had a chance to _name_ yet. They'd tried to think of a name for the baby, but no one had reached a consensus.

Robin _had_ agreed to let Zelena live with him, Roland and Regina after the whole Underworld mess. Which meant that Robin was now living at Regina's house more often, with Zelena being there.

Given their past history together, this made family dinners tenser than _any_ of them would have liked. Robin _wanted_ to give Zelena a chance if that made Regina happy, though deep down he would _never_ forgive her for _deceiving him,_ _pretending to be Marian_.

The whole situation made Robin wonder if Roland understood everything that was going on. It was messy enough to explain about Marian actually being dead, that Zelena pretended to be Marian. His son was horribly upset. Cried about it for _hours._ Robin recalled holding him through the night until Roland fell asleep from all that crying, and he was still sure the boy was upset about it even now.

Tonight there was a fight at dinner. Zelena and Regina, yelling at each other across the table. The subjects of argument were the same—trying to convince each other that they had changed, calling each other out for all the bad things they had done.

Robin got Roland out of the room before the two women started yelling, thank goodness, telling the young boy to just go upstairs and he promised to get him dessert later once Regina and Zelena were done talking. Robin tried to get in there himself and calm both Regina and Zelena down so the evening wouldn't end on a sour note. But neither of them were backing down, not in a lifetime, _and he was so sick of it._

Robin had lost it right then and there, yelling at them _both._

He still recalled, as he stormed up the stairs, the _horrified_ looks on both Regina and Zelena's faces as he yelled at them about how sick he was of all this fighting. How sick he was with having to bear all of it, being stuck in the middle, how sick he was of being in such **a mess**. How _sick_ the toxic environment that this whole situation made was.

He forced himself to close his eyes as he reached the top of the stairs, taking a deep breath, before opening the door to the room where he _knew_ Roland would be.

As he stepped inside, he saw Roland scooped up in another man's arms, hugging him tightly in the attempt to block out the yelling from downstairs. The man who had been hugging Roland in return looked up to see Robin, his dark eyes reflecting nothing but concern. He said nothing at first, looking to Roland first.

"Roland?" He spoke, voice low and deep. "Do you mind watching your little sister for a few moments? Do call me and your father if she starts crying. He and I just need to talk for a little bit."

"O-okay, Mister Kami." Roland hopped out of the other man's arms, and Robin went to hug Roland, holding him tight before letting the young boy go to the room where his baby sister was miraculously asleep. Robin closed the door behind Roland as the young boy left, before turning to the other man with a sigh.

"I'm so sorry about this, Kamiizumi." Robin started. Roland just called the man 'Kami' for short. It had been cute, but now was not the time for cute.

The Swordmaster shook his head, standing from where he'd been sitting on the chair, his own empty plate of dinner having been put aside some time ago. "You have no need to apologize for the disturbance downstairs, Robin. This isn't your fault. None of it is."

The former thief couldn't help but sigh again, shaking his head as he leaned back against the closed door.

"It's all just…it's all hard. Hard to take in."

Kamiizumi moved towards him, confusing marking his expression now. "Robin," He looked into the other's eyes, but his eyes were not judging or forcing, "Please, tell me…how long has this been going on?"

It made sense that Kamiizumi wouldn't understand the whole situation. He was no resident of Storybrooke—and surprisingly, not from this Land of Untold Stories, either. He was from a place called Luxendarc, which had its fair share of defeating two evil gods.

Robin could hardly imagine Storybrooke trying to finish off a second one, given how much damage Hades could have caused. _But two?_ That was definitely something. The current matter at hand, however, for Nobutsuna Kamiizumi was simply trying to get back home. There was no room at the Inn or anywhere else, so Regina and the others figured he could stay in the guest room at their place.

The Swordmaster had been up here, instead of downstairs with the adults, because the man had offered to look after the baby who Robin assumed was still napping (Regina and Robin fed the baby dinner a little earlier). And said Swordmaster probably heard all the yelling going on downstairs, had been hugging Roland and trying to comfort him this whole time.

Robin felt horrible. It made him feel _less_ of what he should be, whatever that was anymore.

He heaved a sigh.

"It's been going on for about two months."

There. Robin finally got that out of his mouth and into the air between them. He saw something change in the Swordmaster's eyes, but he kept talking. He needed to get it all out, get it out now.

"You know that the baby…that's my child. And _Zelena_ is the mother." He spat out Zelena's name like a _curse,_ for the first time in two months. He tried to keep himself in check, for Regina's sake mostly, ever since the Wicked Witch started living with them. "And Regina is Zelena's younger sister, and…it's complicated. And messy."

"I am aware, yes." Kamiizumi looked away, hesitating, before he spoke again and looked to him. "Perhaps it'll be good to continue this conversation elsewhere, for sanity's sakes?"

"Yeah. That would be good." Robin felt grateful that he didn't have to let it all out in this house. There was enough tension in here to choke him. He didn't want to add to it.

"And," The other managed, "I don't think we should be keeping the children here. Not tonight." The Swordmaster looked uncomfortable to say it, as if just sensing how tense it felt in here as well. "I mean no offense, it's just…"

"I know. I agree. At least not for tonight." Robin doubted Zelena or Regina would be in any better mood for the rest of the evening. And having such tension couldn't be good for the baby or for Roland, either.

Kamiizumi looked deep in thought as he spoke. "Do you know a place where they'll be in…better hands for the moment?"

Robin thought of the convent at that moment, the place where the baby had been taken care of. "Yeah. My Merry Men can look after them at the camp."

"Good."

Both of them went to go get the children, Robin carrying the baby in his arms while Kamiizumi was leading Roland. As the two went downstairs, trying to pass the shockingly silent kitchen as quickly as they could, Regina spoke up.

"Robin? Kamiizumi? Where are you going with the kids?"

Robin turned to Regina, who still gazed on in disbelief as he summoned the courage to speak.

"I need to get out of the house— _we_ need to get out of the house." He corrected himself. He swallowed. He couldn't cower back. Not now. "Just for tonight. All of us need a breath of fresh air."

He noticed the greenness faintly showing on Zelena's cheek as she gave him a hard stare. "That's _my_ daughter you're taking with you! You can't just take her away from me!"

"You do hold a point."

Kamiizumi had spoken up. Robin saw Zelena glare right at the Swordmaster as he spoke. Kamiizumi _appeared_ calm, and yet…there was a steely look in his eyes, too.

"She is your daughter, and you should have time with her too. At least, _in theory_. But—" He looked both Regina and Zelena _hard_ in that instant, "given the _hostile_ environment created in this house, I can hardly understand _why_ you would wish your children to remain in such an environment. This is far from healthy. As much as I take no pleasure in doing this, I also do not condone this happening."

Robin was completely silent. He didn't know what to say as Regina started glaring at Kamiizumi.

" _I_ have been trying to _help_ this family," She started, eyes flashing, "And you have the gall to just waltz in and say that it's _wrong?"_

Robin immediately and quickly escorted both Roland and his baby daughter out of the house as Kamiizumi raised his voice in return.

"I _also_ understand that you are all trying to be a family, Regina. A family that will stick together, no matter what! But both of you have been fighting nastily, non-stop, and it is getting absolutely _ridiculous!_ _I_ had to be the one holding Roland upstairs, with Robin caught in the middle while you two were screeching like _vultures_." His tone turned to a _scathiness_ Robin thought he would never hear. "It's completely pathetic, and unhelpful to anyone let alone the children or Robin."

The baby whimpered in his arms, and Robin tried to gently shush and soothe her as Kamiizumi kept speaking. Even if he wasn't yelling, Robin knew that the Swordmaster was enraged.

"I fully understand that both of you previously had bad blood and might continue having that, but it is getting to the point of negatively affecting the children. They _pick up_ on the tension between you two. They don't just sit there dumb and understand nothing! All both of you have done, as far as what I have seen and heard during my time here so far, is cause them _unnecessary grief_ and I do _not_ condone this! Neither does Robin! Until both of you learn to at least put all of this aside, we're not letting the children stay here any longer in such a hostile environment. Not tonight at the least."

The baby began crying, and Robin cradled her close, guilt clouding his chest.

"It's okay." He whispered to his daughter. "It's going to be okay. We're getting out of here soon." He looked down at Roland, who was now clinging to his leg for dear life. "Roland? We're just going to go for a little while. All of us need some time to get away and calm down."

Kamiizumi went out of the house, looking to Robin with some unknown expression. It wasn't until Robin saw his eyes that he realized the man felt guilty about what just transpired.

"We can go." Kamiizumi managed, swallowing almost nervously. "I…I'm sorry about—I know I don't have the right to—"

"Don't be sorry." Robin found himself saying. "They needed that. Let's go."

* * *

Robin felt grateful for being in the woods again. _This_ was what he was used to, what he was comfortable with. More comfortable than being around Regina and Zelena in the same house. Part of him almost wished he'd still been in the Underworld by himself with his baby daughter when they spent time hiding in the woods from Hades. At least it had been _somewhat_ peaceful then for both of them, and better than the hellhole of a house. Part of him felt a bad for thinking that way, but given the current situation…well, things weren't going to be simple. They would never be.

Kamiizumi and Robin explained to the children, as simply as they could, that Regina and Zelena's fighting wasn't good to be around right now, and that they were going to camp with the Merry Men tonight. The kids looked much happier about that, and both the baby and Roland seemed to smile. Robin knew he could trust them to take care of his children. At least they wouldn't be constantly fighting in front of the kids.

After setting up a tent for the kids and having Little John and some of the others watch over Roland and the baby, Robin and Kamiizumi found it best to go take a walk and continue their conversation.

"I should be able to do more."

Robin spoke first. Kamiizumi continued to walk with him, listening quietly as the other continued. Robin felt like wringing his hands together, or running them through his hair until it was completely disheveled, but forced himself to take deep breaths instead.

"I mean, I _know_ the whole situation is messy. Zelena pretending to be Marian and now she wants to live with Regina despite their…past bad blood between them. That I could try to cope with, but _Zelena took advantage of me_ , and Regina fully _knows_ that, and yet she's letting her _live_ with us. I—" He shook his head, looking down, "I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with it."

"Would 'overwhelmed' describe how you feel?" Kamiizumi gently offered.

Robin nodded. "Yeah. Though if there's a 'more-than-overwhelmed' option, I think I'm leaning towards that range."

"I'm not surprised." The two were silent, but then Kamiizumi spoke again. "I know how it feels, being overwhelmed. It suffocates your mind with all the worry. The anxiety. Unsettles you completely."

Robin looked to him, blinking. "You've…you've been in a situation like mine?"

"Well—not exactly." Kamiizumi stopped walking, turning to face him, face twisted with discomfort. "Back where I came from, I…I was a commander, in a civil war. I commanded what became the losing side of that four-year war, and none of it was easy. I had a lot riding on my shoulders, but I also did a lot of things that I regret during that time. Things that haunt me to this day."

So the man was haunted by his past, too. Robin knew Kamiizumi was not the only one in that boat. Maybe he should get the man to talk to Killian sometime. If Regina was in a better mood, maybe have him talk to her too. But…

"How is this supposed to relate to my situation?"

"Because…" Kamiizumi looked to him. "As tough as it may seem, things _are_ capable of getting better. At least, to some extent. In the present time, I'm still respected despite my war crimes because of what I did during a very recent war to aid the others against the…um, second god that threatened to destroy Luxendarc and other words—Providence was its name, if I recall correctly."

Robin thought back to the fight they had with Regina and Zelena. "Are things really that capable of getting better?"

"I want to believe so. Believing otherwise brings much despair." There was pain in the other's eyes, and it felt the same way Robin felt— _lost_. "In between the battles against the first and second evil gods, I travelled alone on my own. During the time of the civil war, I felt that I lost myself somewhere in the chaos. I wasn't the man I felt I should be. It took me about three years to figure out who I was again, and what morals and beliefs I stood for."

"Three years?" Robin could barely believe it. "I…I don't think I have that much time."

Did he have _any_ time to himself like he did now, for self-reflection? Not really. It was difficult to have any time alone. After all, he still somewhat led the Merry Men and he also had the children to care for. And there was also Regina who he still dearly loved so much, and the fact that he was _supposed_ to tolerate Zelena's presence in the house. He didn't want to get started on the Heroes constantly needing to fight off evil, either.

Kamiizumi's idea to get out of the house in the first place had given him the _first_ time in a while to do some own self-reflection. Robin knew he had to thank him later somehow.

"Three years is a long time, I admit." The Swordmaster stated with a nod. "What was it, Robin, that you once believed in? Back before you met Regina? Before Zelena? Before your daughter was born?"

What?

Robin gave him a look. "A-are you actually asking me to…?"

"Yes. I need you to think back far into the past, to when you felt that you had some sort of beliefs and morals to live by." Kamiizumi seemed akin to a teacher now, instructing a pupil. "Just say the first things that come to mind."

That was too easy.

"Steal from the rich, and give to the poor. Be truthful, righteous, and good."

"Hm. You have a firm code of honor. From how you said it," Robin thought he saw the hint of a smile from the other, "it's still deeply ingrained. You've lived by that code for a long time. _You still want to."_ The Swordmaster looked him in the eyes, the smile fading. "In a way, you remind me of a past pupil of mine. She had, and still has, strict codes to live by. Very black and white ones. But not everything is so black and white, either. I learned that as well as her."

Robin said nothing. He wasn't sure of what to say, and it wasn't like had anything to argue. Kamiizumi was right that Robin had lived by a code of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, of being truthful, righteous and good.

 _How had that gotten so skewed?_

Kamiizumi looked to him, concern still etched on his face. "You said earlier you wanted to talk more of your current situation and what led up to it. You have that chance right now. I won't tell a word of it to anyone. Perhaps there are things you've done that you feel conflicts with your code?"

Robin numbly nodded, and then started talking about all of it.

The night he'd spent with Regina while Marian was frozen came to mind first. Just because he loved Regina, well…looking back at it, he did regret it. Just because he loved someone didn't mean he could sleep with them if he was married to someone else, even if said someone else was still frozen.

And then there was the time he left his children with the nuns while he went to the Underworld. He thought it was a good idea, to give an example of heroism. Then came the danger of his newborn baby daughter being potentially used for a time travel spell. And then it nearly got his newborn baby daughter taken away from him by Zelena and Hades, _after Regina had persuaded Robin to leave her with them_. Robin knew he should have stood his ground right then and there, and yet…he didn't.

Those were the two major things he'd screwed up at, he knew that. He was pretty sure he'd messed up at even _more_ things, but his mind refused to think of more.

Kamiizumi was silent as he listened, saying no words but instead encouraging Robin to speak his mind about the situation. Robin wasn't sure what the other might say, or do, but he braced himself for the worst, for the other to say that _yes, he'd screwed up._

Silence came after he finished speaking, and Robin wasn't sure what to do, or if he should do anything. Before he could ask, though, Kamiizumi finally spoke.

"What you've told me is rather contradictory towards your motto." The Swordmaster stated, and Robin felt his chest sink.

"I will be _blunt_ about this, but from my perspective you've been living a lie to yourself for quite some time. You threw your own ideals and beliefs aside, trying to compromise with others." Kamiizumi's voice was calm, but Robin sensed a slight bitter note to it.

Robin sighed, saying nothing, then looked up to the other. "Honestly?" He managed, a grim chuckle escaping him, "You're probably right."

"Hm." Kamiizumi nodded gravely, and the other sensed a weariness about him. "You and I," He started, "We are more alike than I thought. We both tried to meld ourselves to others' ideals, beliefs and dreams. It's one thing to try to be open, and understand another's situation, but at the same time there are simply parts of ourselves—ideals, beliefs, dreams—that we cannot rid ourselves of. _That_ is what makes us who are, and we cannot deny those parts of ourselves either. You don't have to be ashamed of that, Robin—I know how that feels."

"What did you end up doing before you learned that lesson?" Robin couldn't help but ask.

Kamiizumi's expression looked a bit saddened, despite the calm he tried showing on his face towards the other. "During the civil war, my subordinates did _many_ terrible things, as well as the Swordbearers that I assisted. The Swordbearers took young children captive to the dangerous mines to extract metal for them, at the cost of their lives. One of my subordinates killed the Fire Vestal in an attempt to capture her at the Fire Temple, causing Mount Karka to erupt and seal almost every path possible into the Temple. The fight at the Eisen Bridge killed many Shieldbearers, men that had families…"

The Swordmaster shook his head a little, self-disappointment crossing his face, "The killing was at its _worst_ when one of my other subordinates released a Toxic Mist against my orders, killing a thousand of our own troops as well as a hundred thousand of the Shieldbearers. As their commander, I take responsibility for their deeds, and it wasn't until around the end of that war that I truly realized the gravity of how grievious it all was for me to even participate in the first place."

He laughed, and it was grim like Robin's was earlier.

"We had good intentions, to spread Anti-Crystalism, but…it was all for naught in the end. It was all in vain. We should have never assisted the Swordbearers and what happened during those four years are things I regret and will remember for the rest of my life."

He saw a light fade in Kamiizumi's eyes, a hopelessness take form. Robin wondered how hard it was for the other man to take all of that in. Robin had never been in some huge battle like the other mentioned, not like that. He couldn't imagine how bad it was for him.

"But…things got better, right?" Robin finally interjected. He didn't want the other man to lose hope of doing any good, even if Robin himself felt like he had. "You said it yourself earlier, that you're still respected despite what happened. You did your best to help others."

"That is true." He looked to Robin, a sense of calm taking place in him again. "And I believe you can do the same still. I don't think it's too late for you to get back to that place of being truthful. Righteous. Good. To have _honour."_

Kamiizumi completely faced him now, his expression sure and steady.

"Robin…we both have a while to go, to get back to our own selves. I personally believe that though this journey to become better people will be difficult, we will both make it through."

That man was confident. It had no arrogance in it, but it was a hopeful instead. Robin felt a grin sneak onto his face, and he knew it was a genuine one.

"Thank you."

* * *

The two made it back to the camp of the Merry Men, where Roland and the baby were already asleep. Kamiizumi and Robin figured they might as well sleep in the same tent as them, just in case Roland needed comforting from nightmares or if the baby woke up and so on.

"Kamiizumi?"

Kamiizumi looked up from the sleeping Roland to Robin sitting up in his sleeping bag and holding his baby daughter. "Yes?"

"I…" Robin looked to his baby daughter, to Roland, and then to Kamiizumi, taking a deep breath. "I don't think we should go back."

"Back where?" It was Kamiizumi's turn to be a bit confused.

"To where Zelena and Regina are." Robin answered. "What you said earlier to Regina…you were right about that, too. It's not good for Roland or the baby. We could," Robin thought of the Merry Men, "We could stick with the Merry Men. I do lead them, after all, and I know we can count on them."

The other nodded. "I think that's a good idea, too." He then paused, frowning. "Should I be there when you talk to Regina about this? What if she gets angry like last time?"

Robin shook his head. He knew he had to handle it alone. "No." He managed. "I appreciate your concern, but I should try to tackle this myself. She is my loved one, I should be the one to communicate this to her."

"I understand your decision." Kamiizumi stated. "And I respect it."

"Thank you."

Both of them were silent again. Robin gazed towards his baby girl, but it was Kamiizumi that voiced the question in his mind.

"What will you name her?"

"I…" Robin rocked the baby in his arms, gazing at her and struggling to think of names. His mind felt blank. "I don't know."

"…Marian?"

Robin looked up and shook his head. "No."

He couldn't imagine giving his and Zelena's child _that_ name. That felt wrong, and he didn't want to imagine naming his child after someone that he not just once loved, but also someone who Zelena had killed and masqueraded as for so long.

Kamiizumi noted the discomfort. "My apologies."

Robin sighed. "You were just trying to help."

Silence again.

Robin looked to his slumbering baby girl, cradling her in his arms. He recalled the times he'd spent with her in the Underworld, keeping her safe from Hades. He'd been happy, spending time with his baby girl, despite the grim situation. She'd given him _hope…_

…That was it. He had an idea, now.

"Ashia." He finally decided. "Her name will be Ashia."

Kamiizumi blinked, looked to him and then the baby girl. "What does that name mean?"

Robin fell silent, his attention fully directed to his darling baby girl in his arms.

"Hope. _Ashia means hope."_

Baby Ashia smiled in her sleep, and Robin couldn't help but smile back at her in return.


End file.
